FAIRHOPE, Alabama — Some officers perceived a “confrontational management style” from police Chief Bill Press, a consultant told the City Council Wednesday, but dismissed allegations of a “dangerous” work environment within the department.

“Nobody has any intentions of doing anything that’s going to cause anybody bodily harm,” the consultant, Lorenzo Howard, said. He added that a few department employees complained of a “provocative type of environment with them ... but it never got into any physical pushing or shoving or anything like that.”

About 40 percent complained about a “hostile environment,” but Howard added, “pressing them a little further on this, they had difficulty explaining what they meant by hostile environment.”

Howard, a Fairhope resident, former human resources specialist with more than 15 years of experience and member of the city’s personnel board, spent about 20 hours a week for the past five weeks interviewing 39 different employees at the department. Howard said he took notes but did not record the names of those he interviewed.

A month ago, the council agreed to allow Howard to investigate “complaints and allegations, counter-allegations and potential dangerous situations that were recently made to the mayor by Police Department personnel.”

Howard said his interviews were focused on digging up possible harassment and intimidation.

He found the department divided into three groups: about 20 percent “anti-chief,” another 20 percent “pro-chief” and the rest “middle of the road.”

Even some of those upset with the chief said he was a “bright, intelligent person who could solve problems,” Howard said.

Press and Mayor Tim Kant have been at odds since the chief was hired in 2009, city officials have said.

Initially, Howard’s report was slated to be given in an executive session Wednesday, but the City Council decided to allow him to speak during an open meeting.

Kant was not present for the report but said “something has to change” in the Police Department.

Press did not attend the meeting, either, but released a telephone statement to the Press-Register.

He said the initial allegations were part of “an attempt to negate current recommended personnel changes — five terminations.”

The chief continued: “A finding that there was no hostile work environment is therefore not surprising. A finding that 20 percent of those interviewed ... are unfavorable about the way this organization is run should also not come as any grand revelation. ... Clearly those employees who choose not to change into a professional setting where everyone is now held accountable — and that’s approximately 20 percent — will be disgruntled to one degree or another. ... Anything less than developing and maintaining a professional police force to the highest standards is purely unacceptable.”

Howard suggested a uniform human resources department for the city and the Police Department.

Council President Lonnie Mixon said he was satisfied that there was not a dangerous environment within the department, though it was unclear whether the council would take any action in light of the report.

Councilman Mike Ford said he believed that Press, who took the department’s top job after retiring from Miami-Dade County, Fla., may not be suited for a municipality like Fairhope.

“The whole thing boils down almost to: He’s arrogant. He’s a good police officer. He knows his business. But he’s not a small community-type policeman,” Ford said.

Some officers reported the chief telling them, “I will cut your head off,” and Press told Howard that was a “generic way of talking about things.”

“There were some very nervous people sitting in front of me,” Howard said, “and these were one-on-one interviews. ... They viewed the environment as very stressful, at times they thought it was verbally humiliating. If there are things that need to be done, the leader communicates the intentions very straightforward and honestly to them. And sometimes, the perception was that was a form of intimidation.”